The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asclepias plant, botanically known as Asclepias L., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Beatrix.
The new Asclepias is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The new Asclepias originated from a cross made by the Inventor of two unidentified selections of Asclepias L.. The new Asclepias was selected on the basis of its flower color, large flower size and uniform flowering.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Lisse, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Asclepias are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Beatrix have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Beatrixxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Beatrixxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Large orange flowers.
2. Uniform flowering within the inflorescence.
3. Tolerant to low light conditions.
4. Attractive leaves and flower buds.
5. Good post-production longevity.
Plants of the cultivar Beatrix can be compared to plants of the cultivar Tuberosa, not patented. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the cultivar Beatrix differed from plants of the cultivar Tuberosa in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Asclepias have larger flowers and larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Tuberosa.
2. Plants of the new Asclepias flower more uniformly than plants of the cultivar Tuberosa.
3. Plants of the new Asclepias are more tolerant to low light conditions than plants of the cultivar Tuberosa.
4. Plants of the new Asclepias have larger leaves than plants of the cultivar Tuberosa.
5. Plants of the new Asclepias have better post-production longevity than plants of the cultivar Tuberosa.
Plants of the cultivar Beatrix can be compared to plants of the cultivar Incarnata, not patented. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the cultivar Beatrix differed from plants of the cultivar Incarnata in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Asclepias have large orange-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Incarnata have small purple and white-colored flowers.
2. Plants of the new Asclepias have larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Incarnata.
3. Plants of the new Asclepias flower more uniformly than plants of the cultivar Incarnata.
4. Plants of the new Asclepias are more tolerant to low light conditions than plants of the cultivar Incarnata.
5. Plants of the new Asclepias have better post-production longevity than plants of the cultivar Incarnata.